Tag patching and punching machine



y 3, 1956 G. s. PIERCE 2,752,831

TAG PATCHING AND PUNCHING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Gus 5 p/erce ATTORNEYS July 3, 1956 G. s. PIERCE TAG PATCHING AND puucnms MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1953 Fll 5 2 INVENTOR 605 5. P/e/"ce ATTORNEYS July 3, 1956 a. s. PIERCE 2,752,831

TAG PATCHING AND PUNCHING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1953 6 SheetSF-Sheoat 5 INYENTOR Gus 5. p/erce il /u 5/ ATTORNEYS July 3, 1956 5, PIERCE 2,752,331

TAG PATCHING AND PUNCHING MACHINE Filed March 17, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIE E FlI5 l= INVENTOR 605 5. p/erce ATTOFZ N EVS Jufiy 3, 1956 e. s. PIERCE TAG PATCHING AND PUNCHING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 17, 1953 FIE ll PI [3 B XNVENTOR 605 .5 P/erce D a M 7 W, 7 4:

V Z 9 W 9 7 ATTORNEYS July 3, 1956 G. s. PIERCE 2,752,831

TAG PATCHING AND puucmus MACHINE Filed March 17, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 i {/27 6 lZ FIE J E mm? 145 Mb F I E 1 4|: B

INVENTOR. Gus 5. /le/"ce A TTORNE Y5 n N we r;

ill

TAG PATCHING AND PUNCHING MACHINE Application March 17, 1953, Serial No. 342,877

5 Claims. (Cl. 93-.-92)

This invention relates to tag patching machines and particularly to machines of this type which are adapted to place patches upon cards, envelopes and similar devices and to punch holes therein with the result that the tag, envelope or similar device is provided with a reenforced hole through which a string, cord or wire may be passed.

The use of such tags and cards is well known and there are numerous ways of applying patches, both by hand and by machine. Heretofore, for example, envelopes have usually been hand fed to a semi-automatic machine which attached the reenforcement and punched the hole. The provision of a metal eyelet is usually a second operatron.

The previous attempts, with which I am familiar, to make a completely automatic machine have not proved successful because they have not provided for the adequate stopping of the machine when the punches jam or when a tag does not go through the machine. In these devices if a tag is not brought from the magazine or does not reach the patching unit, the patching unit and the punches continue to operate and the reenforcement, in addition to being punched out, remains in the patching unit. With each subsequent cycle of operation of the machine, additional reenforcements are punched out and remain in the machine. This causes jamming which usually results in the breaking of some portion of the machine and in the waste of reenforcing material. in any event the operator is required to stop the machine and clean out the jammed reenforcements. This operation is well known and takes some time. Since machines of this type usually operate at the rate of 5,000 to 7,009 tags per hour it is apparent that the loss of time results in substantial loss of revenue.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide a device of this character by which single tags or envelopes will automatically be fed to the machine and reenforcements will be applied to both sides of the tag or envelope.

Furthermore it is an object of this invention to provide a device of this kind in which the feeding of reenforcing material and punching of reenforcements will be stopped in the event a tag or card is not properly fed from the magazine.

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide a device of this kind in which, in the event a card is not fed or in the event the magazine becomes empty, the tape will not be advanced through the punching and patching unit thereby eliminating a waste of tape or preventing breakage of the machine.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of one side of the machine illustrating the magazine, the card pick-up and feeding mechanism from the magazine and the punch operating mechanism;

Figure 2 represents a side elevational view of the machine illustrated in Figure 1, and from the opposite side States Fatent ice of the machine, showing the tape advancing mechanism, the card delivery mechanism and a portion of the driving mechanism for the device;

Figure 3 is a view taken along the lines 33 of Figure 1 showing, from above, the tape advancing mechanism, the card pick-up and feeding mechanism, the card takeaway mechanism and the card delivery mechanism;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional detail taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 1 showing a portion of the drive meclr anism for this unit;

Figure 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure l and showing the card takeaway mechanism;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the card feeding mechanism as illustrated particularly in Figure l;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail of the card takeaway jaw mechanism illustrated particularly in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional detail of the patching and punching unit taken along the line 8-43 of Figure l with the patching and punching dies in closed or patching and punching position;

Figure 9 is a view similar to that illustrated in Figure 3 with the punching and patching dies in retracted position;

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail of the tape advancing mechanism illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure ll is a top plan view of the tape advancing mechanism as illustrated in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of the vacuum mechanism utilized;

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view of the end of the pick-up device; and

Figures 14a and 14b illustrate a typical card which has been patched and punched in my device.

,As illustrated particularly in Figures 1 and 2 the framework 10 provides a support for the motor and drive as sembly 11, the magazine 12, the card pick-up and feeding mechanism 13, the card patching and punching mechanism 14, the tape advancing mechanism 16, the card pick-up and take away mechanism 17. the card delivery mechanism l8, and the card carry away mechanism 19.

Generally speaking, the frame it) consists of suitable members to provide a mounting for the hereinafter described parts. Rather than describe the frame, element by element, I shall simply refer to it hereafter as the frame l0, regardless of the particular portion of the frame to which I refer.

The motor and drive assembly 1.1 consists of a motor 21 which, through a belt 22, and pulley 23 drives a cross shaft 24 from which, through belts 26 and 27, pulleys 23 and 29 are driven. Pulley 28 is adapted to operate a pump 31 whose purpose is to create a vacuum for purposes which will be more fully described.

Pulley 29 drives a cross shaft 32 which, through a sprocket and chain assembly 33, drives a cross shaft Cross shaft 34 is provided with suitable cams, gears, etc. to drive the other portions of the device. It should be pointed out that the pump 31 operates at all times that the motor 21 is in operation. However, a clutch mechanism 36 may be inserted in the shaft 24 to control the operation of the rest of the device.

The magazine assembly 12 consists of a plurality of vertical members 41 Whose purpose is to support a number of tags, cards or other devices 42 which are to be patched and punched. The vertical guides il are, of course, adjustable with respect to each other whereby the magazine may be altered for cards or tags of various sizes.

The cards are adapted to be withdrawn from the magazine from the bottom thereof by means of a reciprocating pick-up device 43 which consists of a reciprocating member 44 provided at one end with a plurality of orifices 46 which are adapted to be positioned under the lowerpneumatic adapted to be rcciprocated therewithin.

most card in the magazine 12 when the member 44 is at one end of its stroke and pick, by means of suction, the lowermost card. When a card is picked up it will, of course, close the orifices 46. The orifices 46 are connected through tube 47, valve 51 and tube 52 to pump 31. The pick-up device 43 is actuated by a link 53 which is pivotally connected to a rocker arm 54. The rocker arm 54 in turn is connected through a pin 56 and a slot 57 to oscillating arm 58 which is driven from the cross shaft 34 by arm 59 and cam 61. Each rotation of the cross shaft 34, therefore, operates the oscillating arm 53 and, as previously described, oscillation of the arm 53 causes reciprocation of the pick-up member 43.

After a card or tag has been removed from the magazinc 12 by the reciprocating pick-up member 43, the card is grasped by the card feeding mechanism 60. The card feeding mechanism 60 consists of a pair of card-engaging members 62 and 63. The upper member 62 is fixed, but the lower finger 63 is adapted to pivot about point 64 and is normally held in closed position by a spring 66. However a vacuum operated member 67 is adapted to overcome the effect of spring 66 and open the members 62 and 63 when a vacuum is applied to the member 67. The entire assembly 60 is adapted to be reciprocated along a guide rail 68 by a link 69 which is secured to the oscillating arm 58. The oscillating arm 58, in addition to operating the reciprocating card pick-up device 43 also operates the card feeding mechanism 60. As the mechanism 66 advances, it carries the card 42 from the reciprocating member 43 to the left, as viewed in Figure l, and to the right as viewed in Figure 2, to a pre-determined position in the patching'and punching mechanism 14.

The vacuum mechanism 67 which controls the operation of the fingers 62 and 63 is likewise connected through a tube 71 to the valve mechanism 51. When the valve 51 is closed, vacuum is applied to the member 67 at the extreme forward end of its stroke and the fingers 62 and 63 will be caused to release a card 42. As the mechanism goes to the extreme retracted limit of its stroke the valve 51 will be opened to the atmosphere and the fingers 62 and 63 will be closed by spring 66 thereby gripping the card to remove it from over the orifices 46 and to carry it to its proper position in the patching and punching mechanism, 14.

The patching and punching mechanism 14 is illus- [rated most clearly in Figures 1, 2, 5, 8 and 9 and consists of a pair of tape patch punching devices and a patch and card punching device, all of which are supported on a suitable extension of the framework 10. As illustrated particularly in Figures 8 and 9, the patching mechanism consists of a pair of reciprocating punches 76 and 77. The punch 76 is mounted for reciprocation in a second plunger 73. The punch '77 is mounted in a second recicoating member 79 but is not adapted for movement relative thereto. The punch 76 is normally held in lowered position by means of a spring 81 which engages the upper end of the punch 76 as indicated particularly in Figure 8. The punch 76 is adapted to pass through an orifice 32 in a plate 83 and to engage the upper end of the substantially identical member 77 which is mounted in the reciprocating member 79. The punch 77 is adapted to pass through an orifice 87 in a plate 88 in the same manner as the punch 76 passes through the orifice 82 in the plate 83.

Both the members 76 and 77 are provided with an aligned longitudinal bore 259. The bore 89 in the member 76 provides a guideway for a reciprocating punch 91. which is coaxially aligned therewith and which is The punch 91 is adapted to be received in the bore 89 of the punch '77 at the lower end of its stroke.

The operation of the punches 76 and 77 is controlled by a crank arm 93 which actuates a connecting rod 94. The connecting rod 94 is pivotally secured to alink 96 v the right by the spring 122.

which is mounted for oscillation about point 97. The link 98 is secured tothe member 96 and serves to actuate the punch 77. A second link 99 is adapted, through a lever 101, to actuate the member 78 and the punches 76 and 92. Each rotation of the cross shaft 34, therefore, operates the punches 76 and 77 and the punch 92.

The tape advancing mechanism 16 may briefly be described as follows: The strips of tape 102 and 103 are fed from a pair of substantially identical reels 104 which are suitably mounted upon the frame 10. The tapes pass through a glue applicator 106 which applies a thin coating of glue to the lower side of the upper tape 102 and the upper side of the lower tape 103. The tapes are then passed through the tape patching and punching mechanism 14 in such a manner that the tape 102 lies above the plate 83 and the tape 103 lies below the plate 88. The tapes are then fed to the advancing mechanism 16 which, as illustrated particularly in Figures 10 and 11, consists of a pair of driven rollers 107 which frictionally engage the upper and lower surfaces of the tape respectively and advance the same. The lower driving roller 107 is mounted upon the shaft 108. Ratchet wheel 109 drives the upper driving roll 107 through gears 111. The ratchet wheel 109 is driven by the vertical reciprocating of a pawl 112. The pawl 112 is mounted in a reciprocating member '113 which is actuated by a link 114' secured to an arm 116. The arm 116 in turn is connected to a link 1'17 and is driven from a cam 11$ mounted upona'cross shaft 34.

The pawl 112 is pivoted at 121 and is urged to 21 normally advanced position by a spring 122. However it may be held in latched or retracted position by a latch 123 which is pivoted at 125 and whose position is determined by a piston and cylinder arrangement 126. The piston and cylinder arrangement 126 is adapted to be actuated from a source of vacuum as will hereinafter more fully be described. When vacuum is applied to the cylinder and the piston 126a is retracted the latch 123 will be swung out of the position as illustrated in Figure 10' and the pawl 112 will be free to swing to the right, as viewed in Figure 10, in such a manner that it may engage one'of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 109 when it is reciprocated vertically and cause the ratchet wheel'109 to rotate. However, when there is no vacuum in the cylinder 126b and the same is vented to the atmosphere through a tube 127 and valve 51, the latch 123 will remain in substantially the position illustrated in Figure 10 with theresult that the pawl 112 will be held in retracted position. The entire mechanism 113 may reciprocate without causing rotation of the ratchet wheel 109. The reciprocating device 113 as illustrated in Figure 10 is at the lower end of'its' stroke. In the event the pawl 112 were freed by the latch 123, upward mo tion of the member 113 would cause the pawl 112 to engage the ratchet wheel 109 and advance the same one step. Downward reciprocation of the member 113 causes the pawl 1'12 to be urged generallytothe position illustrated in Figure 10 because of the downward camming action of the lower side of the pawl 112 with one of the surfaces 109a of the teeth on the ratchetwheel 109. if there was at that time no vacuum within the assembly 126, then, in that event, the latch 123 would be in the position illustrated generally in Figure 10 with the result that the pawl 112 would be retained in that position. However, in theevcnt there was vacuum the latch 123 would be lowered so 'thatthe'pawl 112 would be urged to It is apparent, therefore, that rotation of the cross shaft 34 will cause vertical reciprocation of the member 113 and, depending upon the vacuum control of the assembly'l26, will cause tape to be advanced by rotation of the rollers 107.

The control of vacuum to the assembly 126 is through the tube 127 to the valve 51. The valve 51 has a mechanical controlthereon through the lever 131 which 0pcrates off a cam on the cross shaft 34. When the valve avaaa si. 1

51 is closed by the mechanical action of the lever 31 the passage of air is through the pump 131, the conduit 52 and the orifices 16. In the event no card is engaged by the member 4-3 the line 127 will be vented to the atmosphere with the result that the latch 123 will be in locked position illustrated generally in Figure 10. However, in the event a card is picked up by the reciprocating device 43 and the orifices 416 are closed, a vacuum will exist in the member 126 with the result that the latch 123 will be moved to an unlocked position at which it will not retain the pawl 112. Control of the advance of the tape is dependent upon a card being withdrawn from the maganine 12. by the reciprocating card pick-up device 43.

The card pick-up and take-away mechanism 17 which removes the card from the card patching and punching mechanism 1 consists generally of a reciprocating apparatus as viewed particularly in Figures 3, 5 and 7.

As viewed particularly in Figure 5 the device consists of a pair of members 136 and 137. The member 136 is rigidly secured to and, in fact, provides a part of a block member 138 which is adapted to be reeiprocated on a guide rail 139 fixedly mounted upon the frame It) generally as shown.

The finger 137 is pivoted at 141 and is adapted to be actuated about the pivot 141 by a link 142 which in turn is actuated by lever 143 mounted on one end of a shaft 144. The other end of shaft 144- is secured to a crank arm 14-6 which is actuated by a cam arm 147 and cam 14 3. Cam 1 13 is actuated by the shaft 149 which is driven by a pair of gears 151 and 152. Gear 152 is mounted on the end of the cross shaft34.

Each revolution of the cross shaft 34 will result in one reciprocation of the member 138. It will be noted that the link 142 is the only connection to the member 138, and this connection is only through the pivotal connection 141. Therefore when the arm 143 swings to the right, as illustrated in Figure 5, the finger 137 will engage the member 136 before there will be any movement of the block 138. When the block 133 has reached the end of its travel and the link 1452 is moved to the left by action of the cam 148 there will be a time delay in the movement of block 133 inasmuch as the first portion of the movement of the link 142 will serve only to separate the members 136 and 137 and further movement will urge the block 133 to the left as viewed in Figure 5. As illustrated particularly in that figure, a card 42 is positioned between the two members 76 and 7'7 which have by this time been retracted or withdrawn to the position illustrated generally in Figure 9. The device is so timed that the block 138 will have been advanced to the left, as viewed in Figure 5, to a position at which the member 136 overlies the tag 42 and the finger 137 lies below it. Reverse movement of the arm 143 will bring the two fingers 136 and 137 together causing them to engage the card. Retraction of the block 138 will carry the card to the right, as viewed in Figure 5. Each rotation of the shaft 34 causes one cycle of operation of the member 138. The block 138 moves only a short distance and the fingers 136 and 137 are adapted to be separated at the point at which the card overlies the card carry away mechanism 19 which, as viewed particularly in Figure 3, consists of a plurality of parallel belts 156. The belts 156 are mounted upon an idler pulley 157 and are driven by a driving member 153. The driving member 158 is actuated by a pair of links 159 and 161. The link 161 is secured to a link which extends outwardly from the arm 59 which is driven by the cam 61 which, it will be recalled, in turn is rotated by the cross shaft 34. Each rotation of the cross shaft 34 serves also to advance the card delivery mechanism through the links 159 and 161 and the ratchet and pawl arrangement consisting of the ratchet 162 and the pawl 163 illustrated generally in Figure 1.

Operation of the device may briefly be described as follows: The device is connected to a suitable source of current whereby the motor 21 will be caused to operate thereby driving the pump 31. The clutch 36 is disengaged with the result that no power will be supplied to the cross shaft 34 and the card pick-up and feeding mechanism 13 and the card patching and punching mechanism 14, the tape advancing mechanism. 16, the card pick-up and take away mechanism 17 and the card delivery mechanism 18 will be inoperative.

A supply of cards 42 is placed within the magazine 12 and supported between the vertical guides 41.

A supply of tape is unwound from the reels and is passed through the gluing mechanism 106 in such a manner that the lower surface of the upper tape 102 and the upper surface of the tape 103 will be supplied with a thin coating of glue. The tapes are then fed through the card patching and punching mechanism in such a manner that the upper tape 1112 lies over the plate 83 and the lower tape M3 lies below the plate 88. The tapes are then drawn through the tape advancing mechanism 16 and between the advancing rollers 107.

The clutch 36 is closed with the result that the previously described mechanisms will be actuated through the rotation of the cross shaft 34-.

Rotation of the cross shaft 34 will serve to actuate the mechanical closure means 131 for the valve 51 whereby the same will either be vented to the atmosphere or closed at a pre-determined point in the cycle of rotation of the cross shaft 34.

Rotation of the shaft 34 will, through the members 59, 58, 54 and 53 cause reciprocation of the card pick-up arm 43. The valve 51 will have been closed by the member 131 with the result that the air will be drawn through to orifices d6, drawing the lowermost card 42 in the stack of cards in the magazine 12 into engagement with the member 43. Reciprocation of the member 43 will remove the card from the magazine where it may be engaged by the fingers 62 and 63 of the card feeding mechanism. When the card pick-up device 43 has been advanced to the position illustrated generally in Figure 6, the valve 51 will be opened by the member 131 with the result that the vacuum in the member 67 will terminate and the spring 66 will urge the members 62 and 63 into engagement with respect to the card which has been advanced by the member 43.

Rotation of the shaft 34 advances the card feeding fingers 62 and 63 along the guideway 68 by means of the members 59, 53 and 69. When the card feeding mechanism has advanced to the extreme right, as viewed in Figure l, the card which it supports will be positioned generally as indicated in Figure 9 in the card patching and punching mechanism.

This continued rotation of the shaft 34 will serve to close the valve 51 and thereby open the fingers 62 and 63 so that when the mechanism 13 is retracted the card will remain in the card patching and punching mechanism 14.

Rotation of the shaft 34 actuates the patching and punching mechanism through the members 94, 96, $8, 39 and 1111 with the result that the members 76 and 77 will be advanced through the tapes 192 and 193 and the plates 83 and 38 thereby cutting circular portions from the tapes. with the card and when the members 76 and 77 come into engagement with the card, their further movement is prevented and the member 92 is pushed downwardly through the bore 91. The member hiipasses through both of the patches and the card and pcrforates the same.

Continued rotation of the shaft 34 retracts the members 76 and 77 and 92 and leaves the card supported between the plates 83 and 3d.

Rotation of the shaft 34 has, in the meantime, actuated the card pick-up and take away mechanism 17 through the members 143, 147, 146, 143 and 142 in such a manner that it will reciprocate on the guide rail 139. As the punches '76 and 77 are retracted the member 17 will be urged to the left, as viewed in Figure 5, and clockwise These portions are urged into engagement movement of the member 143, as viewed in the same figure, will have begun with the result that the members 136 and 137 will have come into contact with the card 42 and will grip it for removal from the card patching and punching mechanism 14. Continued rotation of the shaft 34 will urge the card pick-up and take away mechanism 17 to the right, as viewed in Figure 5, until the card overlies the card delivery mechanism 18. When the card is in this position, the card pick-up and take away mechanism 17 is then urged to the left. However, as has previously been pointed out, movement to the left as viewed in Figure 5, first results in the card 42 being dropped from between the members 136 and 137 onto the card delivery mechanism 13. In the meantime the card delivery mechanism 18 has been advanced through the members 161, 162 and 163.

Rotation of the shaft 34 will also have actuated the tape advancing rollers 1117 through the members 113, 114, 116 and 117. It will be recalled that reciprocation of the member 113 causes rotation of the ratchet wheel 1.08 when the member 112 is in a released or unlatched position. The control of the latching means 123 is through the vacuum cylinder and piston arrangement 126. When the valve 51 is closed by the member 131 and the orifices 46 are closed by a card from the magazine 12, vacuum will be supplied to the member 126 with the result that the latch 123 will be swung upwardly about the pivot 124 and the member 112 will be swung in an outward position by the spring 122. The device is timed in such a manner that when the device 113 is on a down stroke the position of the latch 123 on the succeeding upstroke is determined. In the event a card closes the orifices 46 when the device 113 is on a down stroke, the member 123 will not engage the member 112 and it will be swung to the right as viewed in Figure 10, and on the succeeding upstroke the member 112 will engage the ratchet wheel 1&8 and advance the tape. However if there is no card to close the orifices 46, no vacuum will be supplied to the member 126 and the member 112 will be retained in the position shown in Figure 10 and the member 113 can reciprocate without advancing the tape.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view of the pneumatic vacuum mechanism utilized. The vacuum is created by a pump 31 and is controlled by valve 51. Valve 51 is in turn controlled by the lever 131 which operates from a cam on the cross shaft 34. The vacuum system can be vented to the atmosphere either through valve 51 or through orifices 46 of the pick-up member 43. When member 131 has closed valve 51 and the pick-up member 4-3 has picked up a card, orifices 46 will also be closed which will, in turn, operate the cylinder and piston arrangement 126 thus operating the tape advancing mechanism 16. if the pick-up member 43 fails to pick up a card the orifices 4-6 will be vented to the atmosphere and thus the cylinder and piston arrangement 126 will not be actuated and hence there will be no tape advancement. As pointed out previously, this will prevent clogging and jamming of the machine when the pick-up member 43 fails to pick up a card. The vacuum system through valve 51 also serves to operate the vacuum member 67 on the card feeding mechanism 12 as previously explained.

From the foregoing it is apparent that l have developed a tag patching and punching machine which is provided with a simple common control mechanism which prevents needless operation of the tape advancing members when tags are not fed from the magazine. The failure to feed cards might be a result of an exhausted supply in the magazine or from the failure of the pick-up mechanism to withdraw a card from the magazine. In either event tape will not be needlessly advanced through the patching and punching portion of the device.

I claim:

1. A tape advancing mechanism adapted for use in a tag patching and punching machine having a tag storage magazine, means for picking up tags from said magazine and feeding the same to said punching mechanism, and

tape storage means, said tape advancing mechanism being adapted to feed tape from said tape storage means to said punching mechanism, said tape advancing mechanism comprising a pair of rollers adapted to frictionally engage said tape, said rollers being connected to each other for simultaneous rotation in opposite directions, a ratchet wheel fixed to one of said rollers, a pawl adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, means for reciprocating said pawl to cause rotation of said ratchet wheel, a latch adapted to lock said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, and vacuum means for operating said latch connected to the means for picking up tags from said tag magazine, said vacuum means preventing said latch from releasing said pawl when said pickup means has failed to engage a tag.

2. in a tag punching and patching device, a punching mechanism, a tag storage magazine, an arm having orifices therein for picking up tags from said magazine, means for operating said arm, tag feeding means for feeding said tags from said pick up means to said punching mechanism, tape storage means, tape feeding means for feeding said tape fromsaid storage means to said punching mechanism, said tape feeding means being actuated only when said pick up mechanism has picked up a tag, said tape feeding means comprising a pair of rollers adapted to frictionally engage said tape, said rollers being connected to each other for simultaneous rotation in opposite directions, a ratchet wheel fixed to one of said rollers, a pawl adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, means for reciprocating said pawl to cause rotation of said ratchet wheel, a latch adapted to lock said pawl out of engagement with said.

ratchet wheel, and vacuum means for operating said latch connected to the means for operating said arm, said vacuum means preventing said latch from releasing said pawl when said arm has failed to pick up a tag, means for actuating said punching mechanism in cooperation with said tag feeding means and said tape feeding means, said punching mechanism upon actuation serving to cut patches from said tape, press the cut patches onto the tags and then punch holes in the tags and patches, and means for moving the patch tags from the punching mechanism.

3. In a tag punching and patching device, a punching mechanism, a tag storage magazine, means for picking up tags from said magazine, the tag pick up means comprising a reciprocating arm having a plurality of orifices, the orifices being adapted to engage the tags in said tag storage magazine, means for periodically drawing air through said orifices for engaging and releasing said tags at predetermined intervals, means for feeding tape to said punching mechanism, vacuum means for operating said tape feeding means, means for connecting said vacuum means to said means for periodically drawing air through said orifices whereby when said reciprocating arm fails to engage a card said vacuum means will not be operated, means for actuating said punching mechanism in coordination with the tag feeding means and the tape feeding means to patch and punch the tags, and means for moving the patched and punched tags from the punching mechanism.

4. In a tag punching and. patching device, a punching mechanism, a tag storage magazine, means for picking up tags from said magazine, the tag pick up means comprising a reciprocating arm provided with a plurality of orifices, said orifices being adapted to engage the tags in said tag storage magazine, and means for periodically drawing air through said orifices for engaging and releasing said tags at predetermined intervals, tag feeding means for feeding said tags from the tag pick-up means to said punching mechanism, said tag feeding means comprising a pair of reciprocating fingers adapted to engage the tag carried by said reciprocating arm, vacuum means for operating said fingers, and means connecting said vacuum means to said means for drawing air through the orifices in said reciprocating arm whereby said fingers will engage said tags when air is not being drawn through said arm and will release said tags when air is being drawn through said arm, means for feeding tape to said punching mechanism, the tape feeding means being actuated only when the pick up means has picked up a tag, and means for actuating said punching mechanism in coordination with said tag feeding means and the tape feeding means to patch and punch said tags, and means for moving the patched and punched tags from the punching mechanism.

5. In a tag punching and patching device, a punching mechanism, a tag storage magazine for holding said tags stacked one above the other in a substantially horizontal position, means for successively picking up tags from the bottom of said magazine, the pick up means including an arm having a plurality of orifices therein, means for periodically drawing air through said orifices to thereby provide said arm with suction means for engaging said tags, and means for periodically moving said arm rectilinearly in a horizontal plane between a position underneath the tag storage magazine and a position away from the tag storage magazine in coordinated timing With the suction means, tag feeding means for feeding said tags from said pick up means to said punching mechanism, vacuum means for operating said tag feeding means and means connecting said vacuum means to said means for periodically drawing air through said orifices in said arm Whereby said tag feeding means will pick up the tag when air is not being drawn through said arm and will release said tags when air is being drawn through said arm, means for feeding a supply of tape to said punching mechanism, vacuum means for operating the tape feeding means, means connecting said last named vacuum means to the means for periodically drawing air through the orifices in said arm whereby when said reciprocating arm fails to engage a tag said last named vacuum means will not be operated, means for actuating said punching mechanism in coordination with said tag feeding means and the tape feeding means to patch and punch the tags, and means for moving the patched and punched tags from the punching mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 252,838 Henry Ian. 24, 1882 695,816 Lambert Mar. 18, 1902 1,582,436 Spinney A Apr. 27, 1926 1,691,773 MacLean Nov. 13, 1928 1,892,275 Jensen Dec. 25, 1932 2,045,490 Pearce June 23, 1936 2,197,826 Novick Apr. 23, 1940 2,269,954 Novick Jan. 13, 1942 2,331,533 Bishop Oct. 12, 1943 2,565,459 Willett Aug. 21, 1951 2,615,492

Holmwood et al. Oct. 28. 1952 

